Bandolero Engine - Starting

[wed4life]

I have one of the 20 HP now putting out 30 HP Bandolero engines in my Max. Sometimes it does not want to turn over, just dead stopped during cranking. If I hit the key a few more times, it usually will start. Is this because I do not have the original cam in the engine? I am going to try a larger battery, clean cables and connections. Anything else I can do to make sure it will start in cold weather? I did pull it over by hand and it pulls hard on compression stroke.
Thanks, David

[Mike]

The one in my Max II has never had that problem. It turns over like a stock 20HP motor but the one in my wife's Max IV did what you are describing a couple of times. I had to turn the motor by hand to get it past the compression stroke and then it would start with the starter. It was bugging me as to why hers was that way but mine wasn't. Finally a few starts later and the battery was dead so mine was due to a weak battery. Perhaps yours is the same?

You can try just cleaning the terminals, checking your ground, and charging the battery to see if that helps. I'm just thinking out loud.